Headless Immortal

Chapter 138 One cannot be a father-in-law without being deaf and blind.
evening.

Mountain valley.

Red clouds push the mountain peaks, the sun sets over the western river and the sky darkens.

A gentle breeze carried the heat, stirring the river and creating ripples like fish scales.

Wow.

He raised his hand and used clear water to wash away the blood from the wound. Huang Jinliang grimaced in pain, still cursing Wan Chaohai and Jing Shijun. He only stopped drinking the blood when he took a gourd-shaped water bag.

"It's amazing."

Even after drinking the precious blood for the second time, Huang Jinliang was still amazed. He returned the water bag, looked it over, and then knelt down as if a mountain had collapsed: "Thank you, Your Majesty..."

He was always addressed as "King" by others; this was the first time he had ever sincerely addressed someone as "King."

Before the mountain of flesh could even fall to the ground, it was caught by the giant hand and helped up by the Living Buddha Lu Xun. The great demon said indifferently, "We are in the same boat, so there is no need to talk about great favors."

If Huang Jinliang hadn't disrupted their formation, they wouldn't have been able to break through so easily.

Even now that he has escaped and is resting on this riverbank, Lu Xun is still shaken. This was just a rain of arrows; if it were a barrage of artillery shells from the modern world, not only would a great demon be killed, but even a demon king would rot in the ground.

Lu Xun and the others were on the riverbank, their stomachs rumbling. The only problem with using this body was that he couldn't drink its own blood to heal his injuries, and he needed food to fill his stomach because his magic power was being used up.

So they sent Black Armor and White Skin into the water to catch some big fish to fill their stomachs, and also to let everyone have a dinner.

With a splash, Bai Pi jumped ashore from the river, holding a net woven from tree bark and hemp rope, which contained mostly three- or four-inch crucian carp.

With a quick glance, the toad-like creature noticed that Black Armor hadn't returned and immediately beamed with joy, presenting the net to Lu Xun like a precious treasure. Lu Xun, unaccustomed to raw food, pointed to the grilling rack beside him.

The white-skinned man proudly put the fish down.

The ears of the shrub are gutted with steel forks, washed by the river, and then skewered on maple branches.

There was no need to worry about the smoke attracting the Jing Shi Hui people, because they had run far enough, traversing mountains and valleys all the way into the deep mountains, only stopping in front of the temple, all thanks to Ben Lei's speed.

Whitey put the crucian carp down and jumped back into the water. Suddenly, waves rose on the surface and an armored demon leaped out.

The crocodile's mouth was wide open as if it were laughing, and its claws were tightly gripping a thick hemp rope. White Skin was startled and shouted, "You scoundrel, didn't you see that the king asked for food? How come you came up empty-handed?"

Black Armor laughed loudly, lifted his arm, and pulled the net out of the river, saying loudly, "Look carefully, the smallest ones are all a foot long. I'm afraid the king won't be used to the small fish you caught."

Bai Pi blushed crimson, his skin turning as red as a boiled shrimp or crab. He angrily tried to snatch it, but Hei Jia shoved him away, causing him to stumble and nearly fall to the ground. His round eyes widened in astonishment as he exclaimed, "You... no way! Our cultivation level is far superior to yours. Even if you practice diligently, you couldn't possibly surpass us by this much..."

The man in black armor laughed and said, "Heh, I told you not to stay in the Water Palace and wait for the King to return. I have won the King's favor and been granted cultivation."

The white toad turned and ran towards Lu Xun, kneeling down with a thud and shedding tears: "Your Majesty, it's not that we didn't want to wait for you in the Water Palace, it's just that this scoundrel is too arrogant and insists on becoming the new king. We couldn't stand it, and we were afraid of damaging the Water Palace, so we went with the river. We suffered a lot along the way and were even captured by the bastards of the Jingshi Army."

Black Armor quickly shouted, "You're talking nonsense..."

A giant hand, like a winnowing basket, rose and then pressed down, its deep, resonant sound like a bronze bell: "I don't want to know about these things; what's past is past."

Lu Xun didn't actually think that the departure of the few little monsters was a sign of disloyalty; he was only annoyed later because of a shortage of manpower.

One cannot be a father-in-law without being blind and deaf.

It's pointless to dwell on who should become the new king or who proposed the division first.

With a sidelong glance, his black and gold demonic eyes landed on the white toad, and he asked, "You recognized me in the main hall of the county government, why didn't you call me out to save you?"

This question drew everyone's attention. They all thought the white toad was arranged by the demon king, but they didn't expect there to be such an inside story.

The white toad shed tears, its tongue swirling like a fan to wipe away the snot and tears from its face. It then wiped its cheeks with its paws and croaked:
“I did recognize Your Majesty. If Your Majesty had the ability to save me, how could you stand idly by and let me be boiled alive? If Your Majesty is not capable, my cry will only add another life to the list. If Your Majesty is harmed, then I have no hope of anyone avenging me. Therefore, I dare not speak and only say that I am the leader of the monsters in Jiangzhou.”

Even Black Armor, who was at odds with White Skin, couldn't help but give a thumbs up. The two brothers were indeed in the same boat, each with their own difficulties, but they were both right about one thing: they would not tarnish the reputation of Jiangzhou Water Palace.

"Have you ever eaten people?"

"I have followed Your Majesty's instructions and have never eaten it."

Lu Xun nodded, raised his huge hand that could hold a stone millstone, and said, "Come closer."

"Yes."

The white toad rubs its knees.

A large hand pressed lightly on the top of the toad's head.

Transformation.

The turtle-shaped gem on its forehead emitted a pale golden light, with the essence of the sun and moon forming a wheel.

White specks of light in the air, mountains, forests, and earth converged toward the ball of light in his palm. As Lu Xun gently pressed down, the ball of light flowed down the white toad's head like golden water, covering its body.

The white skin allowed itself to be painted with gold paint.

In his mind's eye, he heard the sound of chanting, both distant and near; he couldn't hear it clearly, but it was enough to bring peace to his soul.

The magical power within his body seemed to surge within that light, as if he had found a spring. His white skin completely turned into jade, his fists swelled up like a gorilla's, and he suddenly opened his eyes.

"Quack."

A long tongue strikes the river surface, creating waves and bursting into mist, which then flows back into the mouth.

goo.

His cheeks were bigger than a millstone, and he spat out a white jet of water.

"Haha, thank you, Your Majesty."

Bai Pi hurriedly kowtowed, and he too received the King's blessing, no longer appearing weak as before.

"Go."

Lu Xun felt extremely tired, and hunger urged him to eat quickly.

Anyone could see the extraordinary skill behind this technique, but the Taoist didn't say much, and Huang Jinliang didn't ask any questions either. Shu Er seemed oblivious to everything around him, flipping the frame while twisting fine thread in the other hand.

His yellow robe was torn by a man-made owl-shaped carriage and had to be mended before he could wear it again.

Shen Lian looked after the girl and helped her thread a needle.

Lu Xun beckoned and said, "Toothless, come here."

Toothless advised, "Your Majesty, please take a rest for now."

He was not in a hurry to improve his cultivation, and as long as he was by the king's side, he could receive 'enlightenment' at any time.

While everyone was marveling at the miracle, he noticed the king's exhaustion. Such excessive use of supernatural powers might have a negative impact on the king.

"This is a letter from the headmaster." Toothless untied the letter tube from his leg and handed it to Lu Xun.

"It's alright, I'll bless you all at once."

Lu Xun took the mailbox but didn't read it immediately.

Toothless had no choice but to step forward.

Transformation.

The toothless monster had the head of an eagle and the body of a human, with wings that served as its hands. After being converted and blessed, its feathered head transformed into a human face and an eagle's head, with a pair of feathers tied on its head like a crown. Its wings also served as its hands, and its dark feathers shone with a luster comparable to refined iron. Swish, swish, its wings moved like a pair of large, sharp swords. A gust of wind swept through.

The two wings merged into one, and the black light and wind breath formed a vortex that rushed into the river.

Shadow Killer.

Shhhhhh.

Xuan Yu plunged into the vortex like an arrow.

Toothless flapped its wings to dispel the spell and knelt on one knee, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities." Lu Xun pulled Wuya up before he could bend down.

Toothless had followed him from the beginning and was loyal to him. He was very satisfied with the magic Toothless had gained after being converted, so he could be considered a proper monster.

Ren Wuya went to chop firewood, and he started reading the letter from the academy.

"Seeing the words is like seeing the face."

"The academy is aware of the situation in Zhangzhou and has dispatched six Confucian scholars from the Jiazi Academy to descend the mountain and enter the camp to rescue the people of Zhangzhou..."

"The offspring of the Mother-Child Gu, which originated from the academy, is on Toothless. If there is any further news, we can use the Gu worm to make contact."

"..."

"Signed: Li Julu."

After discussing the important matters, the rest of the conversation consisted mostly of praise for Lu Xun.

Firstly, there's the matter of the academy in Meilan County; secondly, the donated funds and materials have been properly arranged.

Lu Xun could travel the world as a student of Bailudong Academy. Secondly, he was warned to be careful, not to focus too much on external matters and forget the real threat.

'The real threat.' Lu Xun carefully considered the headmaster's instructions.

……

Zhang Huaisu put his arm around the man's shoulder and pulled him by the ear: "Old sir, I invited you to travel with me, but you declined and refused to get involved. I didn't expect that you thought I was incompetent and went to find someone more capable."

The wealthy man was sewing on his ochre-yellow robe, which had been pierced with many holes, and his beard trembled slightly as he said, "What are you saying, Daoist? If it weren't for taking care of that girl, you would have been able to kill the White Sect demoness with your skills."

Zhang Huaisu shook his head seriously and said, "Don't flatter me, sir. Without this girl, I'd be nothing more than a 46 at best."

"The demoness is right. Without guardian deities, ritual altars, and magical treasures, I would show signs of defeat if I failed to defeat her quickly despite relying on my martial arts skills."

Changing the subject, he asked, "You see that White-Headed Leader and Eagle General have both received good fortune, why don't you go and seek a better future, sir?"

Shu Er chuckled and said, "How could this old man cause trouble?"

“How can this be called causing trouble? Or is the master himself a demon king?” Zhang Huaisu’s tiger-like eyes scrutinized Shu Er.

He had already recognized Shu Er's origins, but since there were outsiders present, he didn't reveal it. However, he said this not only to Shu Er but also to Lu Xun.

It's common for ordinary lesser demons to flock to the hands of powerful demons, seeking advantage and avoiding harm.

This wealthy man is no little monster.

Shu Er's face stiffened, and he hurriedly said, "I am just a yellow-skinned rat, and I dare not call myself a king. The Taoist priest comes from a distinguished family and is a direct descendant of Longhu Mountain. How come he doesn't even have soldiers and guardian deities? If the Taoist priest had guardian deities to support him, we might not have had to flee from the county government in such a sorry state."

"Ugh."

Zhang Huaisu pulled out the Purple-Green Greatsword from behind his back and sighed, "Longhu Mountain is a large and wealthy family, but I am poor. I begged and pleaded, and I was heavily in debt before I could forge this Yin-Yang Demon-Slaying Sword."

He flipped open his robe, revealing the patches underneath: "Look, without the patches, this humble Taoist would have to expose his buttocks."

Back in Zhangjiabao, he counted the silver in his purse. It wasn't enough to buy a horse, let alone a horse hoof. He could only watch helplessly as the mythical beast steed was led away.

Of course, even though he was rich at that time, he was also self-aware and knew that it was unwise to compete with the Living Buddha of Taoyuan in terms of wealth.

Furthermore, the new lord of Zhangjiabao clearly presented Benlei as a gift to Gao Qingzhi, hoping that the captain could put in a good word for him and let Lu Xun have it. He shouldn't be so tactless as to try and snatch it away.

"Your Majesty, it's ready."

"Let's share it."

Lu Xun grabbed the grilled fish and stuffed it into his gaping maw without regard for the scalding heat. The fish bones and fins were ground into powder by his sharp fangs. He used both hands to grind the fish into powder, and in no time, the fish was gone.

Fortunately, both Black Armor and White Skin are water monsters, and they continuously catch river delicacies and aquatic products.

After eating the hot food, the Living Buddha Lu Xun's energy and spirit improved significantly, and his many wounds gradually healed.

Seeing the river delicacies piled up like a small mountain, Lu Xun called Black Armor and White Skin over to eat and told them not to bother with anything else.

Shen Jie took the fish that Shu Er handed him, removed the bones, and then gave it to the girl that the Taoist priest had rescued: "Eat it."

She looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old, with bright eyes, white teeth, and an oval face. Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders, making her look pitiful. Her snow-white skin appeared even more delicate against her blue dress. She held a grilled fish in her small hands and wolfed it down, eating with great care. Soon, only a string of fish bones remained. Her curved eyelashes fluttered as if they could speak, clearly saying, "One more, please."

Shuer picked out a large one, trimmed the thorns, and handed it over.

twilight.

It got dark.

A troop of knights galloped up the distant, shimmering hillside, their leader clad in leather armor and carrying a banner, rapidly approaching the valley. Huang Jinliang was overjoyed and laughed, saying, "Don't be alarmed, everyone, my men are here." He rose to meet them, and the troop of knights slowly came to a stop.

They all dismounted and shouted "Piao Ba Zi!" followed by another round of incomprehensible slang.

Huang Jinliang took the golden horsewhip and a token, turned back and handed them to the Living Buddha Lu Xun, saying, "These are my horsewhip and the token of the chief of the chief. Your Majesty, take them and the chief of the seventy-two mountains, rivers and caves in Jiangbei will see me as if I were their chief, and will be at Your Majesty's command."

"Once this matter is settled, Your Majesty may seek me out in the surrounding mountains."

"Good wine and good meat, we will never neglect them."

Huang Jinliang bowed and took his leave. After walking a distance, he mounted his horse, bowed again from afar, and then led his team away.

That colt was of good quality; it could run even carrying a golden beam, though it was rather short, making it look like a black bear riding a yellow dog.

Watching the group depart, Zhang Huaisu asked in surprise, "Fellow Daoist seems dissatisfied."

He sensed a faint killing intent emanating from Lu Xun.

Lu Xun bluntly stated, "I have never had a good impression of bandits and robbers. If we weren't in the same boat, I would have killed him first. Letting him go, I don't know if I'll regret it later."

He frowned slightly, not because he thought that taking action would make people say he was "discarding a useful tool after it has served its purpose," but because he had discovered that Huang Jinliang had a certain heroic spirit and didn't seem like a pure bandit leader, which made him hesitate.

Zhang Huaisu held a fish in one hand and a gourd in the other, taking a sip of wine: "To become the leader of the Jiangbei Huanshan area, he relied not only on his bandit methods, but also on his decent reputation in the martial arts world, making him a kind of chivalrous hero."

"However, once his power grows, he can still control himself and those around him, but it's hard to say what will happen further away. If you see injustice, don't hesitate to kill."

Living Buddha Lu Xun glanced sideways: "You told me not to hold back, but you ended up saving a monster yourself."

"monster?!"

"Isn't that her?"

Lu Xun pointed to the girl who was still gnawing on a fish.

(End of this chapter)